MVC baseball playoffs promise drama

The names of the great players have changed over the years — Kashner, Bonser, Matula, Gigliotti, Mery, Kregeloh, Carter, Nikorak, Fuhrman, Bennie and Bremen are just some.

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Posted May. 9, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Posted May. 9, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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The names of the great players have changed over the years — Kashner, Bonser, Matula, Gigliotti, Mery, Kregeloh, Carter, Nikorak, Fuhrman, Bennie and Bremen are just some.

The excitement of the postseason remains the same.

Next week, high school baseball's postseason will be here, and this year's stars — Hrbek, Sheranko, Fardella, Stokes, Pignotti, Stevens, Nalesnik, Caffrey, Sensale, Backer and more — will be on center stage.

For parents, coaches, brothers and sisters, every strike has meaning. But if there is one thing that I've learned covering baseball in the Mountain Valley Conference, it's to expect the unexpected.

Take the last two conference championship games, both pitting Pleasant Valley against Stroudsburg.

In 2011, Stroudsburg won its fifth conference title by scoring eight runs in the 11th inning to beat PV 16-8. For anyone who was there, it was probably the best baseball game they ever witnessed.

And then there was last year's title game — PV versus Stroudsburg again. Ronnie Savoia's RBI single capped a four-run seventh inning in the Mounties' 5-4 win, spoiling PV starter Howie Stevens' gem.

Two games, two amazing finishes between two programs that have won every conference title since the Mountain Valley Conference realigned in 2003. Stroudsburg has won six titles since 2003, and PV has claimed four.

So, are we on a collision course for PV-Stroudsburg III? Not so fast.

Don't forget rule No. 1: Expect the unexpected.

There are two very key factors to consider.

1. Pocono Mountain East, which beat Stroudsburg 6-5 this year before falling 6-2 in the rematch. The Cardinals have some of the top clutch hitters in the MVC — senior Zach Sheranko and junior Kevin Sensale — and the fastest leadoff man in senior centerfielder Evan Fardella.

2. Lehighton, a team which PV needed a run in the seventh to beat 3-2 on May 3. The Indians also have a game-changer in catcher Jacen Nalesnik, a Lehigh University-bound 215-pound slugger who can change the game with one swing.

All four teams have issues, mainly on defense where consistency has been a factor at times. The team that plays the best defensively may be in good shape. I wouldn't expect a 12-10 title game next week only because I like the potential starters in the championship, but don't forget, yep, rule No. 1.

We've got a few weeks remaining of what could be very fun baseball to watch. That, I am sure, is always rule No. 2.